


Compliments

by Castlewood_Bard



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Flirting, Fluff, Love, Love Confessions, M/M, Mutual Pining, Pining, compliments
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-23
Updated: 2020-06-23
Packaged: 2021-03-04 06:14:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,453
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24868954
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Castlewood_Bard/pseuds/Castlewood_Bard
Summary: Arthur had never been good at giving compliments. Neither had Merlin. That has to change.
Relationships: Merlin & Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Merlin/Arthur Pendragon, Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Comments: 7
Kudos: 176





	Compliments

**Author's Note:**

> I adore these two lovesick idiots and this idea hit me in the face, holding me to the keyboard until I wrote it. It was fun beyond belief!

Arthur was never good at taking a compliment. His father had told him from a young age that they were forms of bribery, not to  be trusted. It was even worse to give one. They showed weakness, showed what you valued. People could always use those things against you. Arthur hated compliments.

“Leon, you were remarkable on the field today!” Arthur laughed as he pulled off his helmet.

“Thank you, Sire.” Leon said, startled. The young prince rarely gave out praise.

“Arthur,” Uther’s harsh voice echoed in the hall. “Come here.”

Arthur blanched and scurried to meet him.

“What have I told you. Do you know what you’ve done?” When Arthur didn’t respond, he yelled again. “Do you?”

Arthur couldn’t say anything. His throat burned with tears. He’d slipped. He hadn’t meant to. He never meant to. Something his father didn’t understand.

Uther growled again. “You have  just  given that knight a leg up. In singling him out, you have ignored the others. That only breeds resentment, Arthur! A commander does not show favor. Ever.”

Arthur sniffed. Crying was so stupid. His father had given him this talk before. He knew the rules, but he’d slipped!

“You are fifteen! In a few years you will be running this army. You cannot afford to divide your troops over a _compliment_.” Spitting out the last word, Uther stormed down the hall, leaving Arthur feeling tiny. He vowed he would never have to listen to that again. 

***

Merlin was never good at taking a compliment. They brought up too many questions. 

“You felled that tree so  quickly! How did you do it?”

“Your face healed  remarkably  well after that fall. Did you put something on it?”

“Merlin is very good at bringing water in without spilling any. What is it you always say as you’re carrying it?”

Compliments stirred curiosity. They were dangerous. They were secrets waiting to reveal themselves. He never gave them either. He learned  quickly  that no one wanted a compliment from a freak. That had been a rough day.

At fifteen, Merlin’s magic started to cause problems, and the people of Ealdor had noticed. He became less and less popular. It was a mistake for him to say anything, but that day, he couldn’t stop himself. 

“That was brilliant, Aldrich!” he laughed as the boy executed a parry that sent his opponent’s broom handle flying.

“Did you say something to me, freak?” Aldrich sneered. 

Merlin turned a bright shade of red. “I- I  just \- It was- impressive.”

“I wasn’t trying to impress you. I know all about you.”

“Wh- What?”

“And believe me, I’m  just  getting warmed up. Someday this will be a real sword, and your blood will be on it. Wizard.” Aldrich spat on the ground.

Merlin choked back tears and ran. His magic hadn’t always been so obvious, so hated. Aldrich had even been something of a friend, once. It had exploded almost overnight. The whole town felt it. And they turned on him. He heard the whispers.

That night, he watched his mother fuss over their small account book. He knew she was trying to find a way to scrape enough together to send him somewhere else. Somewhere safe.

His face hardened, and giving one last sniffle, he vowed to never give someone a reason to notice him again. No more stares, no more flashes, no more compliments. 

***

Time moved forward, and neither forgot their vows. Arthur became cold and calculating on and off the training grounds. He hid his excitement, his fury, his sadness. Everything. His father approved, and Arthur pretended that was all he needed.

Merlin buried his magic, painful as it was. His mother couldn’t get enough money to send him away for a few more years, so he hid deep within himself. It kept him safe for a while longer.

Then Merlin came to Camelot. Things began to change. They grew comfortable around each other. The vows seemed so long ago. Barriers fell without them realizing it.

***

The first time Arthur complimented Merlin was a sunny morning. Merlin was out on the training field with him, just  like any other day, but the light kept following him. It made his dark hair flash with brilliant gold streaks.

“Merlin, did you know when your hair catches the light, it glows?” Arthur asked  dreamily.

They both froze. 

What had Arthur  just  said? _‘It glows?’_

Merlin blushed, hard.

Arthur checked to make sure no one else had heard that. It was exactly the kind of thing his father had warned him about. Show how you feel, and people will turn against you. He knew that wasn't a likely outcome of what he'd  just  said, but he had never let himself slip like that. Not after that day. Yet,  strangely, he wanted to do it again. It was terrifying. 

***

Merlin complimented Arthur for the first time one week later. He still hadn’t gotten over Arthur’s comment about his hair, and it sort of slipped out.

“That coat suits you so  perfectly ,” he sighed as he followed Arthur down the hall.

Wait, what. He had not just said that. He never said things like that, especially not to Arthur, his boss and, his prince, his _crush_.

Arthur spun around. “What? Merlin, what are you talking about? I wear this thing all the time.” Was all he could get out before he had to turn around to hide the blush creeping into his cheeks. 

Merlin chastised himself, but he couldn’t stop a grin. That had felt good, no matter what he would try to make himself believe later.

***

Neither were that bold in public again, at least not for a while. But, if they were alone in the forest, or Arthur’s chambers they said anything that jumped to their minds. 

Once they started, it became a competition. Each would try to one up the other. The compliments burst under their skin and dripped off their lips. It was outlandish, but they kept giving them until they couldn’t speak from laughing.

“You were  positively  gorgeous in the forest today,” Arthur giggled

“Spectacular swordsmanship during training today,” Merlin hummed.

On and on. Everyday. 

The vows became distant memories. Echoes of warnings used as shields. Shields that were breaking down everyday. 

***

They both had to do a double take when they said, “I love you,” though.

After a particularly amusing round of compliments they  suddenly  stopped and looked at each other. The last barrier shattered, and they said it. At the same time. 

They stared at each other for a moment, then looked at the floor, blushing  furiously.

***

Arthur had  been warned  against that one the most. Uther drilled it into his head since the day he could talk. 

"There is no bigger weakness. No worse way to show the people who you  truly  value."

His father’s voice sounded in his ears, but Arthur ignored it. He hadn’t felt weak when he’d said it. It was strength that coursed through his heart now.

***

Merlin had  been warned  against declaring love.

His mother told him a thousand times, ‘No one can get that close to you. It would be a death sentence. For both of you. I’m so sorry, my darling.’

Her voice bounced around in his head, but he didn’t listen to it. 

This hadn’t seemed like a death sentence. In fact, it made him feel alive. 

***

They turned back to each other and broke into huge smiles. Everything they'd  been taught  dissolved.

Compliments weren’t weak. They didn’t let people take advantage of you. They didn’t leave you vulnerable with no hope of protection. They let you show that you cared, that you were paying attention, that your heart was full.

They realized this at the same time as well.

***

After that, they gave compliments more  freely. To the troops, to the other servants, and most of all, to each other. It was ridiculous, but soon the castle of Camelot was a much more pleasant place to be. 

Uther despised it. He voiced his annoyance many times, but Arthur stood his ground. He wasn’t fifteen anymore. His father was wrong, and he knew it. Having Merlin by his side helped, too.

Hunith worried for her son. Hre magical son who was in love with the prince of Camelot. He reassured her, though, he was fine. Arthur was completely trustworthy, and caring, and so much more than Merlin had ever hoped for. 

There _were_ still a few compliments that stayed  just  between them, for the time being.

“When your eyes glow you look like the sun and the stars,” or,

“Freeing sorcerers from the dungeon always makes your face light up. It’s pretty,” 

Each time grins spread on both faces.

They were free. Finally.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you all so much for reading! Comments and kudos are so appreciated :)


End file.
